Can you imagine?
A Belgian publishing company yanked a children’s coloring book from the shelves of a Dutch drugstore, after complaints on social media by parents, who discovered the Adolf Hitler page. Literally, Hitler.
You read that correctly. There was a coloring book created for children that included a page of Adolf Hitler, and no one at the publishing house noticed until after copies were sold to the public.
Ik deed vandaag een ontdekking op de Facebookpagina van Kruidvat, en die was nogal kleurreich. pic.twitter.com/FpFGhYB432
— Jasper Schilder (@jasperschilder) April 5, 2017
According to NLTimes, customers drew attention to the color by numbers page after purchasing the book at a Danish drugstore.
The book was in the store for half a day on Monday and several dozen were sold”, a spokesperson for Kruidvat said to NU.nl. “We’re going to figure out how this could happen.”
They have since recalled the book, with the publisher, Trifora calling it a “regrettable mistake”, blaming it on production in India.
“It is a nasty combination of circumstances. We check the book on translations, but do not check all the coloring pictures. We probably should’ve, but it did not happen.” the Trifora spokesperson said.
Plaatje uit #Kruidvat kleurboek. "…ondanks meerdere controles op inhoud over het hoofd gezien" zegt Kruidvat. Hoe dan? #Hitler #Swastika pic.twitter.com/i5Wwi8xGe0
— Thijs (@thsvnlwn) April 5, 2017
Translation: Picture from #Kruidvat coloring book. “… despite multiple controls on content overlooked “says Kruidvat. How then? #Swastika #Hitler
Even though Hitler is seen using his infamous salute, wearing his uniform including a swastika, in a statement the publisher suggested the creators may not have known who the subject was….
“My suspicion is that the man who created the coloring book got a book of famous people out of the closet and selected a pair, which unfortunately included Adolf Hitler. Maybe he did not recognize him”, a spokesperson said.
Um… okay.
Other famous World figures featured in the coloring book included Abraham Lincoln and Nelson Mandela. The company is offering refunds to those who purchased the ill conceived book.
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